Presidential campaigns kicking off in mid-Missouri

COLUMBIA — The political scene is building in mid-Missouri, with presidential campaign supporters holding meetings and events this weekend and in the coming weeks.

Five groups have formed locally, four Democrat and one Republican, each in support of a particular presidential candidate. There is a group for Ron Paul, John Edwards, Barack Obama, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bill Richardson. These people are passionate about their candidate, and if you give them a minute of your time they’ll offer a wealth of information.

“We’re trying to form a base in this community,” said Bill Clark, supporter of Bill Richardson. “So we’ll be ready to move against the primary if he wins.”

Most of the Democratic and Republican primaries will occur in February; however, several states, including Iowa, will have early primaries for each party. This has encouraged the local Edwards, Obama and Paul campaigns to take road trips to the neighboring state in order to canvass.

“It’s pretty much the most important place for him to win,” said Rebecca Schedler, an active John Edwards supporter and campaign organizer. “People have been saying if he doesn’t win in Iowa, it’s all over. I’m not sure I believe that, but it’s really, really important for him to win in Iowa.”

Missouri’s presidential primary is Feb. 5, and Jan. 9 is the last day to register to vote in that election.

More Democrats than Republicans seem to be polarizing toward specific presidential candidates, with four of the local political campaign groups for a democratic presidential nominee.

Some Republicans are undecided and are waiting for the primaries to choose a candidate to support.

“I think on the Republican side we don’t have a real strong candidate yet,” said Russ Duker of the Boone County Republican Central Committee. “There’s a divide between social and fiscal conservatives.”

The Missourian has compiled a list of presidential campaigns in mid-Missouri. Here’s a look at each local campaign:

Ron Paul

Local supporter: Matt Begemann, 20, is an MU undergraduate researcher at the Biochemistry Department.

“I am a Libertarian at heart, but it’s just the way he (Ron Paul) approaches questions and answers questions. He has a statement, then backs up that statement with references to the Constitution, which is what our country is founded upon.”

Local activities: Begemann said that the group has put together radio advertisements, handed out literature at events such as the Twilight Festival, created YouTube videos and traveled to Kansas City and elsewhere to hear Ron Paul speak. He also sent letters and made phone calls to people in Iowa and Texas before the Ames Straw Poll.

Barack Obama

Local supporter: G.T. Blackwell, 24, is a bookseller at Barnes and Noble.

“I think he would be able to bring a lot of bipartisanship and also I think that judgment has been lacking in the last eight years in the White House. He would be able to restore the United States’ credibility with other countries.”

Local Activities: Blackwell said the group hosted a Barack-a-Que barbecue event and a rally to commemorate the senator’s anti-war speech, members have traveled to Iowa for canvassing as well as canvassing in Columbia, they have hosted information tables on the MU campus, and they have participated in the MU Homecoming parade.

Contact: grehn@studentsforbarackobama.com

Upcoming meetings/events: Groups will be traveling to St. Louis to hear Barack Obama’s speech at 5 p.m. Friday in Union Station. On Nov. 3, carpools will be traveling to Iowa to canvass.

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Local supporter: Betty Wilson, 75, is an attorney and certified mediator.

“I think she has the experience and the competence and the vision to be our leader and to take her place among world leaders. ... I think it’s important to have a female voice represent this country as well.”

Local activities: Wilson said the group has been organizing and gathering materials. They participated in the Boone County Fair parade and the MU Homecoming parade, and they have also distributed information at local events.

David Ursery, if you are talking about the Columbia area when you say "More than any show of support for any presidential candidate in this area" you are wrong. MU Students for Barack Obama has pledged nearly 900 people to vote for Obama in the primary: on paper. Online support is insignificant if it does not translate to real action and real votes.

MU Students for Barack Obama has been working in Columbia since December. Obama is the only presidential candidate with campaign offices in the state. He came to St. Louis Friday Oct. 26 and we are fired up!

Online support is quite significant in this election. Historically the importance of the web has nearly doubled each election cycle. $4.38 million in one day says a lot about the internet's "insignificance".

I refer to 60 meetup members actively campaigning, not pledged voters. A grassroots movement is made up of people actively campaigning. You took my comment out of context. I don't deny your candidate has a lot of support, and I wish him luck, but I was talking about active campaign support.